ASK THE EXPERTS: Recruiting Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities

In our next installment in America’s Job Exchange (AJE) ‘Ask The Expert’ blog series, we will be speaking with Alan Klapman our welcoming Account Management Director. Alan manages the customer experience of the customers he works with directly, in addition to running our team of Account Managers who jointly service AJE’s 1,000+ customers.

Q: Please share with us your background and why working on Account Management makes sense for you?

In addition to being the driving force behind AJE’s successful customer engagement program, my primary focus is building true partnerships with our customers. I’ve been in this industry for over 15 years; always striving to be a trusted advisor by supporting our customers questions and concerns regarding OFCCP requirements and recruitment strategies.

Before coming to America’s Job Exchange, I spent time as an Internet Recruitment Consultant for Monster.com, where I focused on maintaining and expanding relationships with existing customers and helping them maximize Internet recruiting through their available portfolio of products and services.

Q: As Director of Account Management, you not only oversee our Account Managers but work with our Customers too. During your daily interactions with our Customers, are you hearing any questions/concerns that seem to resonate with HR professionals across organizations?

A: Yes, the biggest challenge I hear from the employers I deal directly with, is finding qualified diverse candidates to fill job postings, with a specific focus and challenge finding qualified individuals with disabilities (IWD).

Q: You have been traveling this past year and speaking to groups about Diversity Recruitment. What are the basics needed to implement an effective diversity recruitment strategy?

A: For a successful diversity recruitment strategy, employers must have a written plan that includes strategies in which are measurable and accountable, and buy in from the corporate community. More importantly, support from corporate executives is critical to the success of any diversity recruitment plan.

Q: Once the necessities are agreed upon and in place, what should our customer’s main focus be in order to reach their Diversity Recruitment goals?

A: It’s a fact that websites in which cater to specific diversity groups get very little traffic and can be expensive. Building and nurturing relationships with the right local organizations that cater to specific protected groups (i.e. veterans, IWD, etc.) are where your organizations should focus their efforts. These types of connections and targeted outreach is what OFCCP will be looking for during audits. This does require a bit more work (conversations, correspondences, etc.), but in the long run will improve recruiting results and effectiveness.